The tumorigenicity of multipotent adult germline stem cells transplanted into the heart is affected by natural killer cells and by cyclosporine a independent of its immunosuppressive effects

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Daniela Hübscher - , University of Göttingen, Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislaufforschung (DZHK) (Author)
  • Diana Kaiser - , University of Göttingen, University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf (Author)
  • Leslie Elsner - , University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Sebastian Monecke - , Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislaufforschung (DZHK), University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Ralf Dressel - , Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislaufforschung (DZHK), University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Kaomei Guan - , Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen (Author)

Abstract

Transplantation of stem cells represents an upcoming therapy for many degenerative diseases. For clinical use, transplantation of pluripotent stem cell-derived cells should lead to integration of functional grafts without immune rejection or teratoma formation. Our previous studies showed that the risk of teratoma formation is highly influenced by the immune system of the recipients. In this study, we have observed a higher teratoma formation rate when undifferentiated so-called multipotent adult germline stem cells (maGSCs) were transplanted into the heart of T, B, and natural killer (NK) cell-deficient RAG2-/-γc-/- mice than in RAG2-/- mice, which still have NK cells. Notably, in both strains, the teratoma formation rate was significantly reduced by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A (CsA). Thus, CsA had a profound effect on teratoma formation independent of its immunosuppressive effects. The transplantation into RAG2-/- mice led to an activation of NK cells, which reached the maximum 14 days after transplantation and was not affected by CsA. The in vivo-activated NK cells efficiently killed YAC-1 and also maGSC target cells. This NK cell activation was confirmed in C57BL/6 wild-type mice whether treated with CsA or not. Sham operations in wild-type mice indicated that the inflammatory response to open heart surgery rather than the transplantation of maGSCs activated the NK cell system. An activation of NK cells during the transplantation of stem cell-derived in vitro differentiated grafts might be clinically beneficial by reducing the risk of teratoma formation by residual pluripotent cells.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number67
JournalFrontiers in Immunology
Volume8
Issue numberFEB
Publication statusPublished - 6 Feb 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85014378864

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Cell transplantation, Cyclosporine A, Microenvironment of the heart, Multipotent adult germline stem cells, Natural killer cells, Tumorigenicity